Chronicles of the Chosen
by Sakura's Sonata
Summary: A collection of works, focusing on Ocarina of Time's awakened stages. How did young Zelda and Impa learn to be? What lurks within the depths of Ruto's heart? How old was the Forest Sage, exactly? Please read and review. All criticism is welcome here.


**Chronicles of The Seven: Shadow and Time**

Impa muses as a young Zelda slips out of her room….again.

"

 _ **Sing Joyfully unto THE LORDS, you RIGHTEOUS, IT IS GOOD**_

 _ **FOR You to…..Him. The Upright…...With the Harp….**_

Nope. Too much mental focus for young Impa. She sighed, rolling the parchment in her hands into a scroll and whipping it around her blade. Her Sheikah-tradition blade shone in the moonlight as she gingerly wrapped the scroll of the parchment into the blade of her sword, then sheathed it in its place at her side.

Often, young Impa found herself envious of the young princess Zelda, until the night she realized her Zelda was even more burdened than hers. In the darkness, Impa hid under the shadows, watching, waiting. Waiting for the guards to slip up under The Demise's obtuse control. Watching for an opening, and it came. Her blade, nothing more than a common rapier, sang true as blood moistened the dew-soaked grass. She sheathed it once more. With the harp, Impa thought. That is what that meant.

But The End was Near. Already, Impa's third eye sensed Zelda jumping out of bed, terrified for her life. Impa retreated to her hiding-place, Their Usual Spot, next to Zelda's room, listening closely.

But Their Story Never Ended Correctly, Impa found herself thinking. She, a being of Death and Change, and this, her charge, an Innocent, Calm, Laughing Spirit girl-who-would-become-woman.

The budding adolescent girl sat bolt upright in bed, cold sweat causing her night wear to become sticky. Her blonde hair splashed across her face, clearly from a Vision, and Her blue eyes darted to-and-fro as if panicked. Zelda proceeded to take a NightTime walk.

And their Story continues, Impa thought, tailing Zelda from shade to shadow to darkness then light again. It was Their Story, this Hide-and-Seek, and Impa never forgot. Zelda meandered for as long as she could within the Castle Walls, until Her Guardian Found Her, leading the Lost back to become Found again.

This Guardian is Impa, she found herself thinking. This Child-Not-Adult will not need me for much longer, and some sorrow touched Impa at that thought, for reasons neither of the two would ever address.

Impa thought of Herself, and therefore her charge Zelda, as Warrior-Kunoichi, or Warrior-Valkyrie. With the King enacting racist Treaties left and right, Impa could not be sure who to trust. So she trained to be The Shadow - a Kunoichi from Ordona, a small farming province known for its wealth, and the only small Kingdom that Had Not Given In to The Demise. Kunoichi were masters of Stealth and Shadow. Valkyrie were not; they were Light, as Impa desperately prayed to Nay Ru That Zelda Could Become. A Valkyrie looked deceptively common, but Never Gives In, ESPECIALLY to The Demise. Her Sheikah Clan had told her, as Impa retreated from Certain Death, to avoid their Pitfall, The Great Demise. All signs pointed to His Resurrection; All signs also Pointe Toward a New Her Grace. Impa had Every Reason to Believe that Zelda Was and Is and Will Be Her Grace, but for now, Zelda needed to seize the opportunity to Become a Noble Woman.

At The King's insistence, Impa - Representing All Sheikah - swore Loyalty and Protection to Hyrule's Royal Family. Impa Fears this would cause Trouble at Later dates, but She had to do it.

Impa crouched to the young Zelda's level, and Zelda took that as Impa's sign, meandering over to the Shadow of The Young Lass's Chambers. Impa's voice came out low, firm, matronly, "Here Lies The Chamber of Secrets," Zelda nodded eagerly, her sunshine-hair bouncing with her head. It was Quite Distracting. "You Will Never Leave This Chamber Without Me," Impa intoned.

Zelda's voice came out warm and soft, like a Content Deku or Kokiri-Child. "You Will Never Leave This Chamber Without Me," little Zelda spoke, "So I must Become One With Light, Not Shadow."

"Very good, my little one," Impa smiled, a rarity for her which caused Zelda to smile in return and retreat to her bedside. "Remain here until Dawn, Zelda. I will be back."

Zelda nodded, having found her Mother all over again. Hide and seek was fun.


End file.
